GOVERNING  BODY

The first weekend in May was a very “Oceanport” weekend, indeed. Although the Oceanport Recreation Committee’s annual miniature golf outing at Bluegrass Mini Golf in Monmouth Park Racetrack was postponed due to the inclement weather on Friday night, our little slice of heaven was chock full of activity all weekend. Saturday morning opened with the Maple Place Middle School’s Annual Color Run at Blackberry Bay Park. I can tell you that the kids in Oceanport have no problem walking up to the town’s Mayor and dumping bags of colored flour on his head. No problem whatsoever. None. I know who they are, however, and you can rest assured they won’t be getting any calls while I am refereeing their basketball games next year. This fun run’s purpose is to raise money for the 8th grade’s class trip to Washington, D.C., but with its mix of kids, adults, music, exercise and dedicated volunteers, it’s actually an incredibly colorful, somewhat messy, 3.2 mile celebration of all that is wonderful about Oceanport.

Shortly after the Color Run ended, Monmouth Park Racetrack opened on its doors and 21,500 people walked through the gates. They were treated to a warm, sunny (thank you Buzzy Baldanza, Oceanport’s Weather Maker) opening day of great live racing, family picnics, hot dogs, hamburgers, horribly gaudy men’s sport jackets and mis-matching pants, women’s Derby hats ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime and the most bizarre, prolonged and confusing finish in Kentucky Derby history. While all of that was going on, the 2019 Monmouth Park Charity Fund’s Kentucky Derby Celebration was honoring Oceanport’s own Maureen Lloyd for her 20 years of service to the organization. The charity event was packed to the rafters, just like the rest of Monmouth Park. Afterwards, local restaurants were bursting at the seams with patrons as the day’s celebrations spilled over into the night. The last night of Triumphant Life Church’s week long Spring Carnival at Fort Monmouth closed out this very busy Oceanport Saturday and, although it was very successful, we hope that Buzzy Baldanza can arrange for better weather at next year’s carnival!

A special note of thanks goes out to Oceanport’s police department, DPW and First Aid Squad, all of which played an integral part of the success of these events. Each of these Oceanport celebrations went off without a hitch, and the support and assistance of these individuals made that possible.

On Sunday, moreover, I had the privilege and honor of participating in the Eagle Scout induction ceremony at the Oceanport Hook and Ladder building. Two fantastic young men, Christopher Schuff and Jack Donohoe, became Oceanport’s 109th and 110th Eagle Scouts. They join Gerald R. Ford, Neil Armstrong, Steven Spielberg, Michael Bloomberg and Oceanport Councilman Ricky Gallo as internationally known individuals who have earned the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America. This is no small accomplishment for these two boys and Oceanport is blessed to have such an inordinate amount of Eagle Scouts in a town so small. Fun Fact: Arthur Eldred was the first Eagle Scout and he was awarded this honor in 1912. There is no truth to the rumor, however, that he was Buddy Brocklebank’s classmate.

This past weekend is proof that Oceanport is alive, well and - as it says on our logo - “a great place to live.” Our volunteers are always energized, our professional and volunteer emergency services providers are knowledgeable, dedicated, and caring and, our community is filled with people who love to be involved and make a difference. The vibrancy of Monmouth Park Racetrack this weekend bodes well for the summer and our spring looks exciting, too. Oceanport will be hosting the Oceanport Lion’s Club’s Strawberry Festival from May 29th to June 2nd, the Memorial Day Weekend Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival at Monmouth Park, Oceanport’s Memorial Day Parade on the morning of Memorial Day and TWO car shows in June at Fort Monmouth (Sunday, June 9th at Wallington Avenue and Saturday, June 15th at Malterer Avenue).  Please get out of your house, get involved and enjoy all that Oceanport has to offer!

Honorable Jay Coffey
Mayor, Oceanport Borough, NJ